Therapeutic percussor



April 17, 1934. Q DONQWAY 1,955,623

THERAPEUTIC PERCUSSOR Filed July 9, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Elayiun'itl mnuway hay/03M 7 @0 0 H15 ATTOIENEY April 17, 1934. Q E, Q Y 1,955,623

THERAPEUTIC PERCUSSOR Filed July 9, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fi ic xl.

WITNESS: .5/ 5g INVENTOR [layman 5-1] Dnmwa Hi5 ATTORNEY April 7, 1934. c. E. DONOWAY 1,955,623

THERAPEUTIC PERCUSSOR Filed July 9, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 EH E:

ELL l -14- I .15-

WITNESS: E1 i i g a 12m nnuwa 1517 BYi Q' y April 1 1934- c. E. DONOWAY 1,955,623

THERAPEUTIC PERCUS 50R Filed July 9, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 H13 A TTORNE Y Patented Apr. 17, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THERAPEUTIC PERCUSSOR Clayton E. Donoway, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application July 9, 1931, Serial No. 549,601

4 Claims.

This invention relates to therapeutic percussors, and has for an object to provide a device having an electrically oscillated arm, carrying a percussion member for the purpose of applying percussive impulses to the person for therapeutic eiiects.

A further object of the invention is to provide a, percussion apparatus having applicators interchangeably operated by an oscillating arm, said applicators being adapted for purposes differing in their requirements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a therapeutic applicator comprising means for containing medicinal agents, with improved means for applying said medicinal agents through the operation of a vibrating arm.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved structural features for carrying into efiect the several functional requirements.

The invention, therefore, comprises a motor having a handle for manipulating, with improved means within the motor casing for oscillating an arm extending without the casing, said arm being provided with interchangeably removable applicators adjacent its extremity.

The invention is directed to other objects and possesses other features of novelty and advantage, some of which, together with the foregoing, will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view of the improved percussor with the gear casing cover removed, parts being broken away,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken on line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a diametrical sectional view at right angles to the section of Figure 2, and taken on lines 33 of Figures 1 and 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on lines 44 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of the tappet cam,

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail plan view of the fulcruming structure for the oscillating arm,

Figure 7 is a sectional View, taken on line 77 of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a detail view in side elevation of the fulcruming pintle for the oscillating arm,

Figure 9 is an inverted plan view of the cap for the fulcruming structure,

Figure 10 is a view in elevation of the pintle for journaling one of the gears, I

Figure 11 is a view in elevation of the end of the armature arbor and gear disconnected,

Figure 12 is a view in end elevation of the armature arbor, as indicated by arrow 12 at Figure 11,

Figure 13 is a view in end elevation of the arbor gear, as indicated by arrow 13 at Figure 11,

Figure 14 is a view in side elevation of the 0 brush holder for the motor,

Figure 15 is a view in end elevation of the brush holder, as indicated by arrow 15, at Figure 14,

Figure 16 is a fragmentary View in elevation of one of the gears, showing the manner of associating the pinion therewith,

Figure 17 is a view in diametrical section of one of the percussive applicators,

Figure 18 is a View in section of the plug employed for securing the several applicators to the oscillating arm,

Figure 19 is a view in inverted plan of one of the applicators,

Figure 20 is a diametrical sectional View of the applicator shown at and taken on' line 2020 of Figure 19,

Figure 21 is a View in inverted plan of a different type of applicator, and

Figure 22 is a sectional view taken on line 2222 of Figure 21.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The improved therapeutic percussor, which forms the subject matter of this application comprises a housing 30, to which is applied, a handle 31 for manipulating the device. The housing is provided with a plug 32 eccentrically bored, as indicated more particularly at Figures 1 and 2, said bore forming a bearing for the arbor 33 of the armature 34, forming a part of the electric power plant.

The field pieces 35 are carried in a cover member 36 applied to the housing 30, and provided with a bushing 3'7, forming bearing for the opposite end of the arbor 33 of the armature. This cap 36 is fixed to the housing 30 by means of bolts 38. At the end of the bushing 37 and arbor 33, an

absorbent material 39 is employed for maintainticularly at Figures 11, .12 and 13 and comprises reducing the end of the arbor as shown at 33 in said figure, and forming shoulders 43, all adapted to engage the diametrical furrow 4 1 of the pinion 41 so that this pinion 41 may be pressed onto the end of the arbor with only a working lit to be maintained in such position as hereinafter more fully explained.

About the plug 32 a gear 45 is journaled being of the internal gear type, and carrying tappet cam 46.

The housing 30 is provided with a closure 47 held in position in any approved manner as by screws or bolts 48, dowels 49 being provided where necessary for further assisting in the proper positioning of this closure. The closure 47 is provided with a socket 50 into which is pressed a pintle 51 (see Figure 10), having a burred extremity 52 to insure proper retention in the socket Upon this pintle 51 the gear 53 is journaled by means of a pinion 54 pressed into said gear 53, as shown at Figure 16, such Fig. 16 being a view of the exterior of the gear with the pinion 54 showing flush with the surface of the gear. This gear 53 is also of the internal gear type and engages the pinion 41 upon the arbor 33, and the pinion 54 engages the internal gear of the gear 45 so that power from the arbor 33 to the pinion 41 is transmitted to the gear 53 from its pinion 54 to the gear 45.

The housing 30 is provided adjacent its margin with a pintle 55, fulcruming an arm 56, extending without the housing, and provided within the housing with a curved extension 56', and a re versely curved extremity 56". This curved extension 56' carries an abutment 57 in position to be engaged by the tappets 46, rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow at Figure 1. The part 56' and its integral arm 56, are mounted to oscillate upon the pintle 55, and tension is applied thereto by a spring 58 embracing the pintle 55, and having one end 59 turned downwardly into a perforation in the arm 56 and its opposite end extending diametrically across at 58' and engaged in a diametrical kerf 60 in the pintle 55, the end of which is burred as at 61 to be pressed into the housing 30 to fix it in such fulcruming position.

The housing 30 is provided under the oscillating arm 56 with a groove 62 for the retention of lubricant with which the housing 30 is supplied.

The housing 30 is also provided with a furrow 63 in which is mounted to slide a block 64 held in such groove 63 by the closure 47 This block 64 is provided with a cushioning member 65 against which the extremity 56" of the oscillating arm engages. The block 64 is made adjustable for limiting the stroke of the oscillating arm by means of a screw 66, having a knurled head 67, and a pin 68 which maintains the screw in position to move the block 64 longitudinally within the furrow 63.

To complete the proper relation of the arm 56 to the housing, a cap 69 is employed which embraces the pintle 60 and spring 58, and covers over the arm 56 and its extension 55', as shown at Figures 1, 6 and 7. It is provided with a socket 70 (see Fig. 9) which engages the end of the pintle 55 and thus maintains the spring section 58 in the kerf 60. This cap 69 is flush with that part of the housing 30 adjacent thereto as shown more particularly at Figures 6 and 7 so that the closure 47 maintains this cap 6'? in position.

The arm 56 is provided with a loop 71 for engaging any one of a plurality of applicators employed in conjunction therewith. The simplest izype of applicator is that shown at Figures 1 and 17 and comprises a convex plate 72, having a sleeve 73 properly positioned to fit within the loop 71, and a plug 74 is employed to engage within the sleeve 73 and clamp this applicator 72 rigidly upon the arm and within the loop 71.

The plug 74 is also employed with other types of applicators. At Figures 19 and 20, an applicator is shown having a sleeve 73' corresponding in all respects to the sleeve 73 and adapted also to receive the plug '24. This applicator is circular in form and is provided with a plurality of perforations 75. Upon the annulus 76 surrounding the sleeve 73, a frame 77 is removably secured by means of flanges 78 and a spring catch 79. This frame 77 carries a fabric or other pervious cover 89, preferably with absorbent material 81 between the pervious cover 85 and the disc of the applicator. The plug 74, when screwed home in the sleeve 73, will force any medicinal material into said sleeve through the perforation to permeate the absorbent l iaterial 81 and the pervious fabric so that the pervious fabric cover will be impregnated with the medicinal material.

At Figures 21 and 22, a different shaped applicator is disclosed, having a sleeve 73 in all particulars similar to the sleeve 73 and 73. Instead of this applicator being circular in form, it is pro- 7 vided with a truncated pointed extension 82 and 100 with perforations 75 communicating with absorbent material 81', and having a pervious cover 80, the same as the applicator shown at Figures 19 and 20, similarly held in positon by flanges 78' and spring catch 79'. The plug 74 also fits this sleeve 73 and operates the same as described in regard to its operation with the sleeve 73".

The motor heretofore identified as the armature 34 and field pieces 35, is provided with a commutator 33. For cooperating with this commuator, brush holders are diametrically positioned as is common in the art. These brush holders, however, provide preferably squared conductive tubes 84 (see Figs. 3, 4, 14 and 15) and to these conductive sleeves, the proper terminals 85 are connected. The squared conductive sleeves 84 are fixed within cylindrical sleeves 86 with carbon brushes 87 slidably mounted therein in the usual manner, and tensioned by springs 88 controlled by a screw cap 89 in each instance. 2 The cylindrical sleeve 86 is provided with a groove 90 along one or more sides engaging a feather 91 formed in the socket of the housing 30 for receiving this sleeve.

The sleeve 86 is formed as a unit with the conductive sleeves 84 and is removable from the housing therewith by the removal of the screw cap 89. The formation of this sleeve with the slot 90 insures the proper positioning of the carbon brush relative to the commutator irrespective of the care with which it is positioned.

A switch 92 is associated with the housing, but as this switch per se forms no part of the present invention, no attempt has been made to disclose its association electrically with the other parts, 135 such connections being well known.

In operation, with the device assembled as shown at Figure 2, power from the motor will be delivered through the arbor 33 and pinion 41, to the gear 53, and from the pinion 54 to the gear 45 140 which carries the tappet cam 46. The rotation of this tappet cam in the direction indicated by the arrow at Figure 1, will cause the tappets to engage the abutment 57 on the section 56' of the oscillating arm, and by reason of the cam mar- 145 gins of said tappet, will move the section 56' and therewith, the sections 56 and 56". The length of stroke or are of oscillation of the arm 56 will be manually controlled and adjusted by the manipulation of the screw as and the block 64 150 carried thereby. By moving the block 64, the return stroke of the arm 56 will be limited by engagement with the cushioning material 65 so that the entire oscillation will be governed by the arm defined by said limiting position and the limits of the tappets 46.

The device may be employed for a great variety of purposes, as for instance, for energetic percussive treatment, for the reduction of fat, in which case the applicator 72 is employed, or by the use of the applicators shown at Figure 19 or 21 medicinal material may be gently patted onto the skin of the patient. The length of the stroke, or are of oscillation of the arm 56, will determine the energy with which the applicator is actuated, the longer the stroke, the greater the percussive force, the shorter the stroke, the more gentle.

The therapeutic percussor, herein illustrated, may be modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein set forth and hereinafter claimed.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A therapeutic percussor comprising a housing, a motor associated with the housing, an arm fulcrumed upon the housing and provided externally with an applicator, spring means provided at the fulcrum for yieldingly maintaining the arm at one limit of its oscillation, a journal having a burred part pressed into the housing, gearing within the housing upon the journal connected with and driven from the motor, and tappets carried by and rotating with the gearing positioned to engage a part of the arm when in motion.

2. A therapeutic applicator comprising a housing, a pintle rigidly secured to the housing and provided with a diametrical kerf, an arm fulcrumed upon the pintle extending both within and without the housing, a spring embracing the pintle having one end connected with the arm and its opposite end positioned within the kerf, an abutment formed upon the end of the arm within the housing, a motor mounted within the housing, a train of gears actuated by the motor, and a tappet actuated by the train of gears positioned to engage the abutment.

3. A therapeutic percussor comprising a housing, a motor mounted within the housing, an arm journaled to oscillate relative to the housing, part of said arm being within and part without the housing, a tappet positioned to oscillate the arm, and a train of gears driven from said motor and operating the tappet, one of said gears embodying a pinion centrally thereof and pressed into the material of the gear.

4. A therapeutic percussor comprising a housing, a motor mounted within the housing and provided with an arbor, said arbor having its end reduced and provided with oppositely positioned shoulders, a pinion mounted upon the reduced end of the arbor and set upon the shoulders, a train of gears operated from said pinion, an arm fulcrumed partly within and partly without the housing, and a tappet operated by said train of gears coacting with the inner end of said fulcrumed arm.

CLAYTON E. DONOWAY. 

